Farmers’ production management in organic agriculture with a Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) in the Northeast of Thailand
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Abstract
Background and Objective: Organic agriculture is increasingly popular in Thailand, driven by concerns over chemical agriculture. This study explores the significance of farmers’ knowledge and opinions in enhancing production management within organic agriculture, utilizing the Participatory Guarantee System (PGS). The research objectives were meant to describe the demographic characteristics of farmers, examine the knowledge and opinion on organic agriculture with PGS, production support required by farmers, evaluate production management, and determine the factors related to production management in organic agriculture with PGS of farmers.
Methodology: A quantitative approach was employed, involving structured interviews with 178 organic farmers affiliated with PGS from the Land Development Department’s database. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and correlation coefficients.
Main Results: Age, knowledge of organic agriculture, and knowledge of PGS were positively related to production management effectiveness [correlation coefficients of 0.154 (P = 0.040), 0.427 (P = 0.001), and 0.340 (P = 0.001)]. Most farmers demonstrated high knowledge levels regarding organic agriculture principles and PGS (average scores of 12.18 and 13.01 out of 15), along with positive opinions towards organic practices (average score of 4.96). However, production management effectiveness was moderate for 93.3% of farmers, while only 6.7% performed at a high level.
Conclusions: The findings underscore the critical role of knowledge in improving production management among organic farmers using PGS in Northeast Thailand. Despite a generally favorable view of organic agriculture with PGS, misconceptions about specific practices remain, indicating a need for targeted educational efforts to enhance understanding and engagement among farmers. Addressing challenges related to resource scarcity and market competition is also essential for further growth in this sector.
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